8/29/2012 Berlin’s Man in St. Louis – 18 Days to Go

If a German dies in St. Louis, Lansing Hecker often is the one called upon to often does paperwork for Germans here. Without that help, they may have to go to the German consul general in Chicago. The fifth-generation German-American often is a ceremonial leader at local German events.

He’ll say a few words during the opening program for the release/signing party for Beer, Brats, and Baseball: St. Louis Germans from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16 at the Feasting Fox Restaurant, 4200 S. Grand. Blvd., St. Louis. That’s just 18 days away.

Hecker is the great-great grandson of Friedrich Hecker, a German freedom fighter who came to America, bought a farm 30 miles east of St. Louis and led a regiment of German-Americans in the Civil War.

The story of Lansing Hecker is on Page 188 of Beer, Brats, and Baseball: St. Louis Germans. The story of his great-great grandfather is on Page 27.